The first time I had an authentic Peking Duck in India was at the Great Wall restaurant at the Leela Palace in Mumbai, twenty years ago. I was having lunch with Captain CP Krishnan Nair, the Leela group's charismatic founder, and was surprised to see that the restaurant served the real thing over three courses: The duck carved at your table, a soup made from the bones, and a stir fry cooked from the leftover duck meat.
Two weeks ago, I found myself eating another authentic Peking Duck. This time it was in London at a restaurant called MiMi Mei Fair, run fittingly enough by Samyukta Nair, granddaughter of Captain Nair. The duck was outstanding. It has to be ordered 24 hours in advance and is widely regarded as the best in London.
Why is a member of Mumbai's Leela/ Nair family selling ducks in England? The late Captain Nair had two sons. The older son, Vivek, helped his father with the hotel business. The younger son, Dinesh, ran the family's garment export business. But he is an extremely well-travelled foodie.
Eventually, the Nairs sold the garment business and Dinesh became involved with the hotel company; the later Leela restaurants owe a lot to his vision. Madhu and Dinesh have one child, Samyukta, who studied hotel management in Lausanne.
This story is from the October 21, 2023 edition of Brunch.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 21, 2023 edition of Brunch.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Hitting the wrong note
Even hitmakers can have epic fails. Here are 10 bands that named themselves in haste, only to repent at leisure
A walk to remember
As India celebrates 25 years of Fashion Week, here's your front-row seat to the first edition, in 2000. The models, the designs, the gossip, the backstage drama, and those after-parties!
Before the tea gets cold
Sudhir Patwardhan's paintings show a Mumbai that viewers may find familiar. But look closer. The details tell new tales, trigger universal questions
Who's the third world now?
There was a time when Egypt or Lagos were considered lawless lands. Now one has to be on guard in London and Paris
Spice routes and detours
More and more countries are discovering that packaged Indian spices are contaminated. Back home, they're so convenient and trusted, we didn't think to look closer. It's time to rework this recipe
Murder, she rewrote
What's better than a woman detective? A team of two. New shows and films are making the most of the partnership, giving crime drama and comedy an edge
What broth this on?
Hopeless ramentic? Slurp up this guide and order the best bowl, every time
Unconventional habits
There's so much more to nuns and convent education than what shows up on screen. Why do the cliches persist?
Photos or pulp fictions?
Gauri Gill's portraits showcase ordinary folks, doing ordinary things, but wearing extraordinary masks. See why the quirky series offers more than what meets the eye
Hear it from a reliable sauce
Kikkoman launched a dark soya sauce for the Indian market after realising that Indians expect Chinese and pan-Asian dishes to have a rich, dark colour. It mimics the taste profile of the flagship Kikkoman soya but has a different colour.
